Nothafagus Paradoxius: A review of the hypotheses for Antarctic Ice Sheet behaviour during climate warming of the Pliocene

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Thesis Discipline

Science

Degree Grantor

University of Canterbury

Degree Level

Postgraduate Certificate

Degree Name

Postgraduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies

A significant focus of contemporary scientific investigation has been the issue of possible global warming. The notion that the earth's climate is heating up has crucial implications for the future. Thus understanding and further quantifying the possible existence of global warming is extremely important to future populations. With 30,000,000 km3 of ice comprising the Antarctic cryosphere (Radoc, 1985), of considerable concern is how this resource will react to possible global warming. If all Of this Antarctic ice was to melt, the potential for sea level rise has been calculated to be as much as seventy metres (Radoc, 1985). With human occupancy abundantly associated with coastal and flood plain regions Of the earth, such sea level rise would no doubt prove catastrophic. Therefore, understanding the history of the Antarctic ocean-clyosphere system - in-particular, its history of response to climate change - is important in assessing future response of the Antarctic region to global warming. This paper is a review of the literature associated with two hypothesis of Antarctic ice sheet behaviour derived as from analysis of warmer climates of the Pliocene, The two hypotheses that exist are very different to each other and known as the stability hypothesis and the instability hypothesis respectively. By way Of introduction, the stability hypothesis is based on the idea that the Antarctic ocean-cryosphere system remained relatively stable during this period of warmer climate. Opposite to this is the instability hypothesis, which is based on the belief that much of the Antarctic ice sheet melted during the Pliocene period of warmer climate. A significant focus of contemporary scientific investigation has been the issue of possible
global warming. The notion that the earth's climate is heating up has crucial implications
for the future. Thus understanding and further quantifying the possible existence of
global warming is extremely important to future populations.
With 30,000,000 km3 of ice comprising the Antarctic cryosphere (Radoc, 1985), of
considerable concern is how this resource will react to possible global warming. If all Of
this Antarctic ice was to melt, the potential for sea level rise has been calculated to be as
much as seventy metres (Radoc, 1985). With human occupancy abundantly associated
with coastal and flood plain regions Of the earth, such sea level rise would no doubt prove
catastrophic. Therefore, understanding the history of the Antarctic ocean-clyosphere
system - in-particular, its history of response to climate change - is important in assessing
future response of the Antarctic region to global warming.
This paper is a review of the literature associated with two hypothesis of Antarctic ice
sheet behaviour derived as from analysis of warmer climates of the Pliocene, The two
hypotheses that exist are very different to each other and known as the stability
hypothesis and the instability hypothesis respectively. By way Of introduction, the
stability hypothesis is based on the idea that the Antarctic ocean-cryosphere system
remained relatively stable during this period of warmer climate. Opposite to this is the
instability hypothesis, which is based on the belief that much of the Antarctic ice sheet
melted during the Pliocene period of warmer climate.